Do I need to listen EVERY week to ALL podcasts of the 5-step process?

No. 

Always adapt the pace and volume to your personal situation.

First: the 5-step process represents a learning cycle, one lesson.

Some students might be able to go through the cycle in one week, some might need more and some might need less.

Adapt the time you need to complete a cycle and a lesson to your situation.

Second: The 2 most important podcasts are the “Weekly Round-Up” podcast that is like a summary where we review all challenging sentences of the previous Step 1, 2 and 3 and the “Fluency Test” podcast where you can do some guided speaking practice.

So see the "Weekly Round-Up" and "Fluency Test" podcasts as your "minimum core 2-step plan”:

Then, depending on whether you're a beginner, intermediate, or advanced, add those podcasts as you see fit and as described below.

I’m still a beginner, do I also need to listen to the intermediate or advanced podcasts?

Not necessarily, but you can try in the beginning.

As long as you can understand 80% or more, it would make sense. But if, for example, the “Advanced” podcasts are incomprehensible, just skip them for now. 

The 5-step process is not set in stone. Adapt it to your needs and remember, you can always switch to the “minimum core 2-step plan” and just add to it the Beginner podcasts in the beginning.

I’m an intermediate, do I also need to listen to the beginner podcasts?

I would suggest, yes, at least try. 

As mentioned before, see it as a warm-up and check if you really can outperform the beginner students by spotting their mistakes and being able to correct them most of the time.

If that's the case, then yes, most likely you’ll find them too easy. In that case, just skip them and add the "intermediate" podcast and/or the "advanced" podcast to the “minimum core 2-step plan”.

I’m advanced, do I also need to listen to the beginner and intermediate podcasts?

Same as before.

At least, give it a try and check if you really can outperform the beginner or intermediate students by spotting their mistakes and being able to correct them most of the times.

If that's the case, then yes, most likely you’ll find them too easy. In that case just skip them and add the "advanced" podcast to the “minimum core 2-step plan”.

I’m quite advanced but still struggle to understand real German TV. 

In addition to the podcasts of the 5-step process you’ll also have access to our “Speak like a native” podcast series with native speakers for the most advanced of you.

The problem with real German content is that it’s still oftentimes too fast spoken and unclearly pronounced which makes it incomprehensible.

In the “Speak like a native” podcast series you’ll listen to native speakers who still speak clearly, not too fast and still go into some details of the language.

These podcasts represent your last step before you can listen to real German content.

Do we just listen passively to the podcasts?

Not at all. 

While listening to all these podcasts you’ll become part of the conversations and you'll always try to listen INTERACTIVELY and ask yourself 3 key questions while listening:

• Can I spot the mistake of the student?
• Am I able to correct the student before the teacher does?
• Am I saying it right?

Then you’ll also always take action by speaking OUT LOUD:

• Whenever we prompt a student to correct himself
• Whenever we correct a student and you hear us saying the correct sentence or writing it down word by word

How can I “practice speaking”?

At Herr Professor, we believe strongly in guided speaking practice at the beginner and intermediate stages.

Not just "practicing speaking" with a language partner, but structured, guided, contextual speaking practice.

Here’s the issue with “practicing speaking”: when you speak too early or without structure, it often turns into practicing incorrect speaking.

You repeat the same mistakes over and over, and those mistakes become habits.

Over time, it’s like developing your own incorrect version of German that can leave you stuck for years in the intermediate plateau, because those bad habits are very difficult to break once they’re ingrained.

Instead, at Herr Professor, we focus on practicing correct speaking.

That’s exactly what we do, first, in our podcasts with other students, where, while listening, you’ll be invited to predict, correct, and speak out loud, step by step.

And most importantly, in the Fluency Tests inside the course, where I give you a clear prompt — “How would you say this in German?” 

You get a few seconds to respond, then I provide the correct version, like in our Verb-Juggling lessons.

This way, you’re practicing speaking with structure, support, context, and repetition, so the correct patterns are more likely to stick.

It’s like learning a sport: first, you train with a coach to master the moves, and only then do you start sparring. Not the other way around.

Speaking works the same way.

How do I know if I’m at a beginner, intermediate or an advanced level?

Simple.

Check if you really can outperform the beginner, intermediate or advanced students when listening to the podcasts of Step 1, 2 and 3 by spotting their mistakes and being able to correct them.

Of course, not all the time, but most of the time.

And be brutally honest with yourself: Can you spot the mistake and correct it before the student gets corrected or do you just think you knew the answer after hearing the correction.

What if I miss a lesson?

No worries, every week a new lesson will be released, but you can refer to it whenever you're ready.

For every lesson a new 5-step plan will be released and you’ll keep access to all released lessons.

Since you’re acquiring the language through real authentic conversations like you did when you were a child, there’s no need to worry about missing something.

Every lesson represents a new opportunity to learn and grow.

In addition, you can review, and repeat the lessons any time whenever you feel like it.

How long will I have access to the podcasts?

You’ll have access to all released podcasts as long as you’re subscribed to the program.

Does this program also include Live Calls?

Yes, every week we have a 1 hour live Zoom Q&A Call at 12:00 and one at 20:00 where we answer all your questions about the program or the German language.